Toni Kroos is Germany’s player of the year, Xabi Alonso wins coaching award

BERLIN (AP) — Toni Kroos was named Germany’s player of the year for the 2023-24 season, while Xabi Alonso won the coach’s award for leading undefeated Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title.

Kroos, 34, won the award organised by German sports magazine Kicker for the second time on Sunday after being named player of the year in 2018.

Croos ended his brilliant playing career last month after Germany’s European Championship exit to eventual champions Spain, having helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga last season.

Kroos received 285 votes in Kicker’s poll, ahead of Germany teammate Florian Wirtz of Leverkusen, who received 246, and Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, also of Leverkusen, who received 66.

Leverkusen’s success — finally ending Bayern Munich’s 11-year run in the Bundesliga and remaining undefeated in the league entire season — ensured that Alonso won Germany’s coach of the year award for the first time. Leverkusen also won the German Cup for an undefeated national double.

Alonso, 42, who took over as Leverkusen coach in October 2022 when he was second from bottom to top in the Bundesliga, he received 503 votes, ahead of Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß (42) and Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt (50).

Stuttgart finished second in the Bundesliga while Heidenheim finished eighth in their first season in the top flight after Schmidt led them to promotion the previous season.

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AP Football: https://apnews.com/hub/futebol